1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to the field of computer networks. In particular, various embodiments relate to methods and systems for accessing cloud-based logging service without requiring user registration to simplify user access, for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer networks used by large business enterprises generally consist of a network of networks spread over geographical regions ranging from different buildings to different continents. Each individual network may contain various network appliances such as routers, switches, gateways, firewalls, Wireless Access Points, and can also be considered to include general purpose computing devices such as personal computers, PDA's, laptops, printers, among others. Among other functions, network appliances typically facilitate communication and exchange of content/information among local general purpose computing devices and with other remote general purpose computing devices that may be spread over geographical regions.
Over time, individual users, Information Technology (IT) professionals, and business enterprises have increasingly utilized network solutions to increase capacity and efficiency of their business processes. IT professionals and business personnel have elected to use cloud-based services to host their applications and access them through Internet. With the number of users of cloud-based services increasing by the day, the complexity of network solutions has also increased and so has the threat to computing devices and content stored/accessible therein. Accordingly, business enterprises are increasingly looking towards safer and more efficient network solutions that meet their data integration and security needs.
In business enterprises, computer network activities, events and/or communications can be logged, analyzed and reported by network analysis appliances. Such activities, events and communications, include, but are not limited to, the content of one or more packets, network status, quality of service, security events, network threats, web content and messaging data. Logs and/or reports can be generated by existing network security gateway appliances that form part of a given network. Authorized users, such as network administrators, can generate customized reports using the logs and analyze the reports for further necessary and desired actions.
To make network analysis appliances more cost effective, it would be useful to maintain event logs and/or traffic logs within a cloud-based service. To make such a cloud-based logging service more enticing, it would be useful to automate the activation of the cloud-based logging service by integrating the cloud-based logging service within the graphical user interface of network security gateway appliances.